Saturday, 10 November 2018

FLEETS #21: The Royal Australian Navy of the future

Shortfin Barracuda

Hunter class FFG

The Royal Australian Navy of the future graph illustrates the main surface fleet and submarines of the Navy by the mid-2040s. There are currently several major projects underway that will see upgrades to Royal Australian Navy (RAN) capabilities. The major projects for the RAN are the following:

Project SEA 1180 Phase 1 will replace the Armidale-class patrol boats with twelve (12) new Offshore Patrol Vessels to be constructed by Lürssen. Construction will commence in Q4 2018, with the first vessel to enter service in Q4 2021. The

Project SEA 4000 Phase 3, under which the RAN will acquire three (3) Hobart-class air warfare destroyers, built around the United States Navy Aegis air and surface combat management system. The vessels are based on the Spanish Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate. As of November 2018, two are in active service and one is currently under construction. It is more likely that by the mid-2040s the first vessels in the class will have been already retired.

Project SEA 5000 Phase 1, where nine (9) Hunter-class frigates to replace the Anzac-class frigates. The vessels will be built in Adelaide by BAE Systems and will be a variation of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship to be operated by the Royal Navy. The last ship in the class will have entered service by 2042.

Project SEA 1000, where twelve (12) Future Submarines will replace the Collins-class submarines. The future class is to be based on the Shortfin Barracuda proposal by French shipbuilder Naval Group. The class will enter service in the early 2030s with construction extending into the late 2040s.